Switching to diet pop

I'm a big pop fan....I can't help it.  I have switched to the sugar free versions and now drink diet pop with my lunch.  I drink about 6 cups of water at work and more at home with this (yes i'm also in the bathroom about 5 times during the afternoon at work too) but again...I can't help it.  Is drinking diet pop really that bad?

I'm not certain I am reading correctly, but it appears you are having only one diet soda per day with lunch?

If so, I can't see anyone calling that a health hazard.

Although, a recent study found that ONE regular (with sugar) soda a day increased the incidence of Type II Diabetes in women. (No, it wasn't sponsored by sugar substitute makers... lol )

I have read that up to 3 diet sodas a day, while not the healthiest choice, shouldn't be harmful. Watch out for caffeine after about 2 pm to avoid sleep problems.

I recommend that you give up pop totally.  Why?  Because you said you can't help it.  That translates to addiction.  And the sugar-free will just keep you addicted.  The sooner you break the addiction, the better off you will be.

I must reply to this one, because I have Aunt who had some serious health issues. ( She drank diet pop all the time, lots of it). She ended up gettin hospitalized, and went through tonnes of tests, worked with a nutritionist. Aspartame is NOT GOOD, lots of it anyways or every day. The nutrtionist said that it is better to have one regular pop than  a diet one. For me I gave up all pop and juice with my diet and I have so far lost 46 pounds.

    most diet pop has aspartame, which is bad for you. instead of aspartame, find some drink with splenda, like nestea zero or splenda water. 

I thought that Splenda was made with aspartame/it is aspartame, just under a brand name?

Splenda has been said to cause some serious heart problems (I don't have documentation, sorry). Basically, when you drink/eat something sweet, your body gets the signal that sugar/glucose is coming into your body. But Splenda or any non-calorie sweetener, doesn't provide the nutrient that can be provided by sugar.

I'd try to cut the amount down if I were you, but if you like pop a lot, that's okay. Just don't go more than one can a day, and maybe switch to a thin can (like Tab or a can the size of red bull).

Good luck!

If drinking pop were "really that bad", everyone would be dead.   Don't worry about it.  The sky will not fall on you if you drink a couple of sodas during the week.

My boyfriend switched from sugared to sugar free & lost a couple pounds from that alone.  But that's the male metabolism for ya. 

no its not realllly bad especially as a treat.  I drink a diet dr pepper for lunch sometimes, but the rest of the day is water for me.  it's a big improvement from my previous usual 6 pack. :)  We're all here to make life changes, and switching to diet is a baby step.  So enjoy the bubbles!

Can somebody show me what is really that bad about diet coke? It is low in calories, low in sodium.

I agree with the poster that said if it really was that bad we'd all be dead.

I have a doctor who says if I drink caffeine free diet coke, I could count it as water intake.

I hate, hate, hate, hate drinking water. But I can put away alot of caffeine free diet coke.

I have never understood why it is so bad. Please educate me. Thanks,

Various people have warned me that "diet soda is bad for you". I haven't had any problems with moderate use, but I asked my doctor the last time I was there on a routine visit, and he told me that it's essentially carbonated water....and shouldn't be a problem.

Cheers!

I like fizzy drinks but the sweet ones like Coke, Diet Coke etc gross me out. Instead I have the lightly flavoured mineral water sodas so I get the fizz without the chemicals. Would this do it for you people who like soda or does it have to be Coke, Pepsi etc?

ny68 said,

If drinking pop were "really that bad", everyone would be dead. 

Well, not those of us who don't drink it.

You should cut down on any soda, diet or not, period.  Drink water instead.  Diet soda is still sweet, which might trigger your appetite and lead you to eating more foods.

I read from a link from CC that aspartame or Nutrasweet causes formadahyde to form on the brain and the government knows about it and is doing nothing about it. I don't know about you, but I don't want any formaladahyde in my brain.

Also aspartame or Nutrasweet has been linked to causing migraine headaches in some people among other side-effects.

It was hard for me to cut out diet pop/soda but I did it, eventually.

I just cut back slowly, a little at a time, even till I drank a 1/4 cup a day.

It can be done if you want to.

A lot of crazy rumors fly around about artificial sweeteners and a lot of them are ridiculous.  However, one that is actually true is that a lot of people are sensitive to artificial sugars and don't realize it (the same way that a lot of people are lactose intolerant and don't make the connection) and have headaches.  Anyone with chronic headaches or migraines should cut out the artificial sweeteners for a bit and see if there's any improvement.

I've also read that some of the chemicals in artificial sweeteners can interfere with certain psychotropic medications, especially those prescribed for bipolar disorder (I did quite a bit of research on bipolar disorder during college).  Not sure if that's just another "scare tactic" but thought I'd throw it out there.

I don't consume artificial sugars because it grosses me out to eat pretty much anything that's chemically altered.  I don't like eating things that had to be created in a lab...

So many people have an addiction to pop and don't even realize it. My boyfriend was.....he felt tired and bloated and crappy all the time. I finally got him to cut out pop completely(cold turkey is the only way to go) and waala!!! His skin looks clearer, he has more energy, feels less bloated and more hydrated. Also just think of how good it will feel that you are no longer a slave to companies like PepsiCo spending money everday on their horrible addicting good for nothing products.

When I had to give up all my sugar (sigh, I miss it) The diabetes nurse I spoke with said that diet pop was fine and that diabetics have been using aspertame for years. As for Splenda I love it. I use it in my coffee because it is the closest thing to sugar, just don't bake with it, it doesn't caramelize and ends up tasting a little like baking soda.

I agree with manewell. If there is something "you just cant help" you need to get it out of your way until you can help it. Diet soda, like anything, is fine in moderation. Its the emotions connected to the food that you should try to control.

It's not only the caffeine but also the carbon in the pop that makes it bad for you, so even drinking the DIET pop, it will still have adverse affects on the body that can be avoided if you only were to drink water. It gets easier, I play a game with myself now...every hour at work I try and consume a 1/2 cup of water. So far it is working and I am drinking at least 8-10 cups a day! (I have also read it is more beneficial for you to consume the daily recomended intake of water over the course of the entire day, not all at once by chugging! This way it will ensure your body is well hydrated throughout the entire day!)

The sweeteners in diet soda cause your stomach to empty more quickly. You will be hungry more often when you drink diet soda. Drink water or (my fave) unsweetened green tea.